McCook Bison take on GINW in final game of regular season

The McCook High School football team travels to Grand Island Thursday to take on the Northwest Vikings in the final regular-season game.

Kickoff at GINW is 7 p.m.

The Bison are taking aim at their seventh straight unbeaten regular season and 63rd straight regular season victory.

The Bison are 8-0 and ranked No. 1 in Nebraska Class B by the Associated Press and No. 2 by the Omaha World-Herald.

GINW has a 2-6 record.

McCook shut out Holdrege 35-0 last Friday and GINW defeated Gering 29-9. The Vikings have a 2-6 record.

McCook head coach Jeff Gross said the Bison players are well aware that GINW has a better team than the 2-6 record indicates.

“We have to be very prepared,” Gross said. “Grand Island Northwest is a very good football team. We’ve played GINW in basketball, wrestling and track. We know they have very good athletes. They’re big up front -- 290, 250, 230 and 235 pounds. They’re big, physical, good athletes.

“They present a lot of challenges with their spin offense, which is similar to the single wing. On defense, their 3-4 defense relies on heavy penetration and blitzes. We have to play hard and play a complete game. We have to be able to shut down their offense and make them go the length of the field and not give up big plays. On offense we have to take what they give us and not get frustrated.”

Gross said the Bison players and coaching staff are trying not to look ahead to the playoffs, which start on Halloween night Oct. 31.

However, the team is treating the GINW matchup like it’s a playoff game.

“We need to beat GINW,” Gross said. “They have nothing to lose. It’s time to play at a different level.”

Bison stats -- Junior tailback Zach Wieser leads the Bison with 564 yards on 107 carries.

Junior quarterback Matt Berry has 410 yards rushing and has completed 41-of-64 passes for 500 yards.

Senior fullback Sam Frazier has 329 yards rushing, followed by junior